Jessie Shepherd sits at the side of the hospital bed and stares at Nathan, her bottom lip quivering as she holds his hand between hers, gently stroking the palm of one hand over its top.

‘It’s alright, Jess, it’s not as bad as it looks, honest. I’m going to be fine’ Nathan lisps.

‘Your poor face’ Jessie shakes her head sadly ‘Your poor, poor face’

Nathan gives her a lopsided smile. ‘My poor everything…but it’ll mend’

‘Have they said how long you’re going to be in here? You’ll need someone to look after you, won’t you? I can come’ she offers, still wide eyed with the shock of seeing him.

‘Marj will be there…and about a week if all goes well…but thank you’ He squeezes her hand ‘knew you would’

‘Marjory and Eric are coming over? Oh, it will be lovely to see them…I am pleased….well….not pleased that they’ve got to come…but..’

‘I know what you mean…You could pick up a few things for me though…if you wouldn’t mind. There’s nobody else I can ask really…Harriet’s been great but she’s got enough on her plate…The usual things…you know…only….you’ll have to pay for the stuff that needs buying until I get home and I’ll pay you back for taxis and things… The bastards took everything…There’s a key in…’

‘Oh…what a silly woman I am!’ Jessie lets go of his hand and bends to drag her shopping bag from the floor to her lap. ‘I was going to be all efficient and buzz in here and take over…. and you were going to be all impressed…and everybody was going to think how lucky you were having somebody like me…’

‘I am lucky, Jess’ Nathan says sincerely, putting a hand on her arm.

‘Yes…but having me…not..’ She stares at him again ‘Oh, Nathan!’

‘Stop it, you daft old sod…’ He swallows at the sight of the tears that threaten. ‘I meant you. Come on then…what’s in the goody bag today?’ he asks, making Jessie smile.

‘Well, it’s not chocolate and a Beano this time’

‘No chocolate or a Beano?’ Nathan gives a horrified gasp ‘Did you get me a Dandy instead?’

Jessie starts to giggle ‘Behave, they’ll all think you’ve gone bonkers!’

‘Sherbet lemons?’ he asks hopefully.

‘Ah!’ Jessie lifts her index finger and rummages in the bag. She brings out a small white paper bag ‘Sherbet lemons’

‘Oh, Jess’ Nathan blinks, touched at her remembering.

‘I didn’t know what you could eat or anything…I was going to wait and see when I got here…..Liz wouldn’t let me pay for those…and you can have as many as you like, she says’

‘Thanks…just thanks’ His chest heaves in an emotional sob and he looks away.

‘Don’t you start!’

‘No…okay’ He smiles and lifts his head slightly, trying to peer into the bag to see what else Jessie has brought.

‘Now then!’ She pinches the top of the bag together. ‘You wait. Have you been good?’

Nathan chuckles at the well-worn routine of his childhood. ‘Can’t be anything else at the mo…and some of these nurses!’ He winces as he tries to purse his lips in an appreciative whistle.

‘Serves you right!’ Jessie gives him a look ‘Glad I didn’t bring the other sort now’

‘Other sort of what?’

‘Magazines. I did think about it but I’d’ve needed a ladder to get to the top shelf….and besides…I didn’t think they’d do you a lot of good in here’

Nathan crosses his arms over his ribs as he laughs ‘Jessie!’

‘So I didn’t…These are just your regular sort of men’s magazines…Liz says they’re very popular…’ Jessie rests the bag on the bed and stands up. She opens the locker next to the bed ‘Something to read at any rate…’ She lays the magazines next to him. ’And by the sound of it you don’t need any help at all in the other department, you bad boy!’

‘That’s me!’

Jessie starts to unpack her bag and stowing things away. ‘Toothpaste and brush, flannels…I brought one of my towels for now but I can get one of yours when I go round…a razor…though..’ She looks at him and her eyes fill with tears again ‘I don’t suppose you’ll be able to use one of those for a while’ She busies herself to stop from crying ‘A comb…and deodorant…they’re all in that bag…Sorry it’s not a bit more masculine looking…but it is blue’

‘Thank you’ He eyes the floral sponge bag with a doubtful grimace.

‘A couple of tee shirts….and clean knickers’ she announces finally ‘I had to guess at the size for those…and I didn’t know quite what to do about a dressing gown…’ She stops at the sight of a bulging plastic sack at the bottom of the locker ‘Are…they your clothes?’ she falters ‘the ones you were wearing?’

‘Guess so’

‘Didn’t the police want them?’

‘They haven’t said…I don’t suppose so. I’ll dump them…not a lot of good now’

‘No’ Jessie says slowly, the smears of blood clear on the thin yellow plastic ‘I’ll fetch you some more in…They’ll have you out of that bed pretty soon, I expect. I’ll take these back with me, shall I?’

‘Leave them there for now. I’ll get someone to chuck them out. Thanks, Jessie…that’s great…and I can do without a dressing gown, it’s like a sauna in here, nobody seems to wear one’

‘Hope the knickers fit…I didn’t know what sort you wore. There’s a packet of three there..’

‘You reckon I’ll get to use ‘em?’ he smirks ‘I could ask for more pain killers, I suppose’

Jessie looks at him blankly for a second ‘Oh, you wicked boy!’ she says as she realises what he means. ‘There are three pairs of shorts in that pack!’ She clicks her tongue and shakes her head ‘And there was me worried you might have brain damage or something…seems both your brains are flipping well working’ She puts a hand over her eyes, tears of relief finally overcoming her false brightness.

‘Come on, Jess…I’m okay’

Woodbury General Hospital

Chapter Five

Hill House, Boundary Road

‘I told you!’ Leonie Ward turns from the television with a look of both anguish and anger ‘I told you!’

Marilyn Ward puts a horrified hand to her mouth.‘Oh, Richard’

‘I knew but you wouldn’t believe me!’ Leonie shouts furiously, leaping from her chair and facing her parents her fists balled with rage and distress. ‘Neither of you wanted to believe me. Now look what’s happened!’

‘Leonie’ Richard Ward stands and tries to calm her.

‘Nathan’s hurt and Kester was taken. What more proof do you need?’

‘That is proof of nothing. That could be proof that Nathan didn’t want to be part of it…that says nothing apart from the fact that he was beaten up’

‘Shush’ Marilyn tries to quieten them as the report continues.

Richard and Leonie turn back to the television in time to see the camera focus on the second presenter and another news story.

‘I’m sure they said that someone was helping the police with their enquiries…I couldn’t quite catch it all’ she scowls at Leonie.

‘Don’t look at me like that! This needn’t have happened…it needn’t have done. Nathan would have been ok….and Kester…Kester..’ Leonie bursts into tears.

Marilyn and Richard look at each other helplessly.

‘I’ve got to go and see how he is’ Leonie dashes the tears from her face with the flat of her hand.

Richard stills her ‘It’s too soon, Lenny…honestly…they’ve got enough to be going on with without the hassle of people ringing on the doorbell every five minutes and I doubt Nathan will be allowed visitors yet’

‘I’d better ring Andy…he might not have heard. Will his mobile work where he is?’ Marilyn asks.

‘The hotel number’s on that sheet he printed off for you…you know…when they were showing you where they were going..’

‘Yes…it was’ She bustles from the room to go in search.

Richard cups the back of Leonie’s head with his hand and hugs her against his chest. ‘They’ll be ok, sweetheart. And nothing we could have said or done would have made any difference. Nathan’s his own man. You heard what Andy said’ he says, holding her shoulders and looking down at her ‘He didn’t know…and I believe him. I don’t know why this has happened but I guess we’ll soon find out. Leave it until tomorrow, eh?’

‘Oh, Dad’ Leonie puts her arms around him and presses her face against his sweater.

‘We’re all upset, sweetheart…all of us….but we’ve got to be sensible’